In 1997, more than 20 tour players averaged 75% or better in driving. The shaft could also have too soft of tip section causing the club face to. The swing speed is the main consideration in selecting a driver shaft. Many golfers believe they can add yards to their drive by making their driver golf club longer and lighter. With a shorter driver youre able to hit more accurate golf shots because your hands are closer to club face and therefore have more control. Many have heard that a shorter driver shaft can increase. Many tour pros are opting for a shorter driver shaft these days, but why. Even my playing partners couldnt believe how much straighter i was hitting my driver. We immediately set out to fix that and to discover whether golfers are helped or harmed by longer driver shafts. The same thing applies to the golf swingthe flatter and more inclined the plane of the shaft is traveling down into the ball, the more distance the clubhead has to travel and the longer youll. What i found was the opposite, cutting down the shaft gave me more distance when the club was hit on center. A 1 length increase can, by itself, be expected to add a few yards to.
Wishon also told me that the average driver length on the pga tour is shorter than the standard lengths equipment companies sell us. Somewhat surprising considering the distance race the big oems are engaged in. It turns out that shaft length is overrated for what it does for length. Nov 07, 20 something that is even more important to consider is that making square contact with the clubs sweet spot is the key to gaining distance. I hit well sometimes, but at other times i have a twoway miss. May 10, 2019 this week gear guy explores the theory that a longer driver shaft equals more distance, the importance of face inserts on putters and more. Now for our most luxury, premium choice of distance driver shafts. In my case, the shaft had been too weak, and thus i had gotten too much spin according to the. To receive golfs allnew newsletters, subscribe for free here.
The more often a golfer hits the center of the drivers face, the more consistency they will see in their driving accuracy and distance. Do i have to use a long driver shaft to maximize distance. They do this because a stiff shaft gives them more control over the clubhead throughout the swing. D j trahan is 6 3 and, according to his father, plays a 44 12 inch driver and he wants him to cut it down to 44. The average driver used by pga tour pros usually has a 43. We also offer free shipping on orders over usd 100. On my andrew rice golf facebook page i asked readers if they had any experience with shortening the shaft of their driver and here are a few of. Any loss in distance has been minimal, as im making contact with the center of the club face more consistently and i get better roll out in the short grass. Changed shafts to a ust axivcore blue 59 grams reg flex at the standard ping length of 45. The weight of the shaft is going to help keep the players swing on plane. So as a result actually gripping down on a driver will shorten the overall length and it will make you more accurate. I found a xlr8 senior flex shaft that will fit my head.
If you are going to shorten a golf club, there are a few things to keep in mind. Most male golfers are wielding drivers that measure 45 to 48 inches, the maximum allowed under the united states golf associations rules of golf. Over the past decade, there has been a shift to give longer shafts to consumers. Typical shaft weights in 65 grams but some players with fast transitions may like a heavier shaft. Each player tested the shafts in a different, random order. The shaft length is actually one of the biggest factors to controlling distance and accuracy and very generally speaking, very broadly speaking, if you make the shaft longer so a standard driver shaft about 45, 45 and a half inches. I havent lost any distance and ive gained plenty of accuracy. More control, better feel, hitting the sweet spot every single time.
A longer shaft will create probably more swing speed, and if you can make center contact, will result in more ball speed which means more distance. Either they want more distance or they want more accuracy. What do half inch long shafts do to your golf shot. If you would like to add 30 to 40 yards to your drives without changing shafts, and for the cost of less than 12,5% of a new driver, use this tool below to find out how much distance you could get from our unique swing man golf swing speed training. My club is lighter also so i can swing it faster but not harder. We always advise you on what happens when golf shafts are not right. The difference is not that great, as lyleg already has suggested, but i find that with the shorter shaft im getting more control and hitting the ball more on the sweet spot than before. My driver is a players driver, which means that at its 1. For the driver test, they hit seven drives each with a 50, 60, and 70 gram shaft, all using the same.
Shorter driver united states golf teachers federation. The quest for a more accurate driver practical golf. After a comprehensive overview of my stats last year i came to the conclusion that if i want to get to the next level as a golfer, i am going to have to hit more greens, and that all starts with how i position myself off the tee. If you think you are losing distance try a lighter, 55 gram shaft but make sure it plays stiff enough. The shorter shaft only resulted in me losing about 1 1. This week gear guy explores the theory that a longer driver shaft equals more distance, the importance of face inserts on putters and more. From an amateur to members of the pga tour, everyone wants the distance. Use our fitting wizard to find the right driver shaft for you. Driver shaft length custom fitting for the correct length to help improve your strike pattern and. Over the past decade, there has been a shift to give longer. Jan 31, 2017 the stock driver length of most manufacturers taylormade, callaway ping, cobra these days is 45. Sounds counterintuitive, and probably is, as i expect most people will experience some increase in accuracy by going down 12 to 1 inch. Get the right shaft to hit your driver straight and long.
Shaft is too flexible in the butt section andor shaft is too light. Cutting driver shaft length how much distance loss. For this video, weve used the gc quad launch monitor to gather real world data comparing two identical clubs that only differ in shaft length. To learn more, visit our website now or contact us at the number provided below. Longer shafts dont automatically equate to longer drives. Did you also know that many pga tour players have driver shafts that are much shorter than that. Get the right shaft to hit your driver straight and long true fit.
In fact, testing shows an inch of extra shaft length equals roughly 10 yards in distance. And some of the best drivers on tour use a driver with a 43 inch or even shorter shaft. Tiger woods at his longest used a relatively short 43. Golf driver shaft length, options video lesson by pga pro. If the driver shaft is so long that you are not able to make consistent sweet spot contact, all of the potential distance gained from the shaft length goes out the window. I had my driver shaft professionally shortened to either 44 or 43. Check out this article to find out more about this concept. For our fastest tester player 1 the difference between 45. Trying a longer shaft is a popular suggestion these days, but most players should, if anything, try a shaft half an inch shorter than whats in their driver. So why is shortening the length of the driver shaft a good thing. If your driver has a fixed shaft, you could pick up another used club and change the length on that one. Each player went through two different testing sessions one with a driver, one with an iron. The lighter weight allows for a longer shaft, but the 3wood shaft is normally cut an inch shorter than the driver to offer more control.
So there has to be a reason why these shorter drivers go farther, right. Shaft weight and torque make a bigger difference than shaft flex. Clubhead speed even though the shorter driver weighed 8grams more than the longer driver, according to wishon he sees on average, approximately 1 mph of clubhead speed difference between clubs that have a 25. This raises the immediate question, why is a relatively tall, obviously highly skilled player using a shorter than standard driver. The general golfing public has been conditioned and educated that shaft flex is the endallbeall when it comes to shafts and that simply is not true. Im a very consistent and straight hitter but can use all the help i can get on distance since my typical drive is about 210 yards. However, in the 21st century a standard driver is considered to be 45 inches. Distance was a little shorter, but i think that was more the club and the gd tourad ysq just not matching my swing more than the 1 inch shorter shaft. For the past few months, ive knowingly been flouting the 14club rule by carrying two drivers. This week gear guy explores the theory that a longer driver shaft equals more distance, the. The fairway woods are used for distance and at times to attack the green, and most players use graphite shafts that are lighter than steel. In this video we compare the same driver built first with a 45 shaft and then with a 47 shaft to see the differences in speed, distance, consistency and accuracy. Shorter driver length means better and more consistent contact which leads to better and more consistent distance. Oct 30, 2012 shaft weight and torque make a bigger difference than shaft flex.
I didnt lose any distance, and with some drivers i actually gained distance. In contrast the shorter model yielded a maxed out smash factor of. The more shaft you cut off, the lighter, more stiff, and effectively flatter the club becomes. This is because of the light weight of the shaft and premium quality ensuring. Jan 29, 2020 i have a 12 taylormade m6 driver with a 45. To learn more about swing man golf products, click here. It will also help you hit the driver on the sweet spot more consistently creating more distance, not less. Anyone ever shorten their driver shaft for more control. A recent golf test i dont remember where, showed amateurs hitting the longer shafts 45. Learn the simple tips, tactics, and drills that you can use to increase your driver distance, hit more fairways, and start playing better golf. Driver shaft length is shorter better than standard length. Players with slower swings typically choose shafts with progressively more flex, which.
Most people use a shaft thats too stiff, and too little loft. If you are more focused on extra distance on your drives, the lighter the better. Each of our testers recorded their slowest average swing speed with the 44. Jds clubs offers hot deals on aftermarket driver shafts, for sale. For many of you reading this i am confident that if you were able to shorten the shaft of your driver you will actually pick up distance because youll be. I have hit a friends driver same model shaft as mine that he cut from 45 to 43 and there was a distance loss of 10 to 12 yds from my length of 44 12 but had more control. I am thinking of reshafting this driver with a ust low carb aflex shaft which i was very pleased with in my previous driver a cobra ss350. Marriott golf academy grande vista master club fitter randall doucette explains the importance of shaft length with your driver.
Increase your driver distance and start playing better golf. All things being equal, a longer driver shaft will allow you to swing the club faster, which could add more distance. Once the length becomes too long, the golfer starts to hit around the clubface. Jan 15, 2014 will a shorter driver give you more distance. Though we didnt undergo a full shaft fitting for this test, we were very interested to get our.
Add weight to your driver golf club for more distance pga. Best driver shafts for distance in 2020 our top 7 picks. Learn from a 2star pga professional how to increase your distance and smash drives. Each player hit seven drives with each of three driver shaft lengths. Mar 06, 2020 the average driver you buy at the golf shop usually has a 44. Aug 03, 2012 but you must take into account that the shorter driver will weigh more in the process of matching the moi to the longer driver shaft. We help golfers of all abilities hit longer, straighter drives by selecting the. Making the driver length shorter gives you more control. Theres no consistent pattern, and that has a lot do with the shaft being a little too long for that particular. Feb 09, 2018 for this video, weve used the gc quad launch monitor to gather real world data comparing two identical clubs that only differ in shaft length. The best thing i ever did, period i am driving it a good 20 yards further than i ever have. Golfers want more distance and the manufacturers are happy to give it to them with longer shafts. If you choked down so it plays like a 44 inch shaft, would it go further, the same, or shorter than if you had a shaft cut down to 44 inches and didnt choke down at all.
We have a great selection in our product line at prices that are pocket friendly. The stock driver length of most manufacturers taylormade, callaway ping, cobra these days is 45. I have a 2006 ti460 cleveland launcher, with the standard cleveland sliver aflex shaft, and the clubs length is 45. Shortening driver changing shaft swingweight golfwrx.
A lighter club head and shaft will allow you to generate more club head speed with a slower swing speed, but it will come at the cost of more consistency. More importantly the dispersion of my shots was much tighter than with my callaway that had the 45. Drivers generally come standard at 4546 inches in length, the longer the driver shaft the potential exists for more distance, theoretically your swing arc would be wider and therefore you could create more speed. A shorter driver shaft increases the likelihood of a golfer making better contact off the center of the drivers face.
Shorter drivers may be easier to hit, more consistent. Three wood shaft 234 feet average 23 feet off line. Stronger players with faster swings typically elect to use stiffer shafts, for example. For every 12 inch you remove, you will lose approximately three swingweight points. Michael breed, host of the golf fix, teaches how to find the proper length of your driver shaft and gives a drill to maximize distance.
Mar 28, 2016 the quest for a more accurate driver everyone wants to find out how to have a more accurate driver including me. Find the right driver shaft length for your game golficity. Any amount of cutting will slightly stiffen the club. With the new trend of shortened driver shafts on tour right now, a question came to my mind. Despite the high end pricing, it is a great club choice for regular golfers, especially those with smooth, slower swings who struggle for long distances. You can readjust the swingweight by adding lead tape to the head of the club.
A few things occur when you shorten the driver shaft. Wed jan 15, 2014 by dave phillips drivers generally come standard at 4546 inches in length, the longer the driver shaft the potential exists for more distance, theoretically your swing arc would be wider and therefore you could create more speed. If youve ever wondered why it often seems easier to hit a 3wood off the tee than a driver, which is the case for many recreational players, a big part of the reason is the shorter length shaft. I also totaled the distance after roll the ten shots with each club finished from the center line. In the march hotlinks, club expert tom wishon wrote that one key to real improvement with the driver comes from a shorter length. Shorter drivers may be easier to hit and more consistent.
If a shorter driver enables a golfer to achieve more consistency with striking the center of the face, the golfer will maximize distance with that length club. The complete guide to maximizing driver distance practical golf. When fitting a driver, its important to get loft, lie, shaft, and grip sorted, but better driving may be hiding in a shorter shaft. Although i was hitting it further and straighter than my previous driver 2007 r7 super quad matrix xcon 6 shaft, the tfc shaft just did not feel right.
Michael breed give tips for driver length and distance. Im 61 and the number of flush strikes are better and my distance has not suffered whatsoever. The folks at ping built me two identical g30 driversone at their standard length of 4534 inches, the other two inches shorter. If you have trouble hitting the center of the face with a longer shaft, try shortening it and thats probably why some people are seeing more distance with a shorter shaft. We address why longer shafts dont actually produce longer tee shots. The standard length of a driver for men used to be 43. Looking at the two pictures to the right, the top image is from a driver with a 45. I have no idea why, as the research definitely shows that you should be a lot more accurate if you shorten your driver, but for me, it did exactly the opposite. Personally, i have switched to a shorter driver shaft.
If the shaft is interchangeable with an adjustable hosel setup, you could pick up an additional shaft tip, and try a shaft at a shorter length. Golf club shaft flex and the effect on driving distance. Shorter shaft hitting the sweet spot more consistantly thus keep or even gaining distance. A shorter driver, he said, encourages center contact on the clubface, which leads to longer, straighter drives. Should i grip down on my golf driver to improve accuracy. If you think you are losing distance try a lighter, 55 gram shaft but make sure it. Shorter driver shaft i went from 45 to 43 12 a few years back and have gained more control over my driver. Jan 12, 2012 somewhat surprising considering the distance race the big oems are engaged in. With the shorter 44 shaft you have greater confidence and can cut loose with your swing.
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